1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reverse osmosis filtration devices and filtration systems, and more particularly, to filtration devices that have embedded RFID tags.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spiral membrane elements for ultrafiltration, microfiltration and reverse osmosis have long been regarded as efficient devices for separating components of fluid mixtures. In a typical process, a pressurized fluid mixture is brought into contact with a membrane surface whereby one or more components of that fluid mixture pass through the membrane because of a difference in chemical potential and, due to varying mass transport rates through the membrane, a separation is achieved.
Reverse osmosis filtration systems typically utilize a plurality of filtration devices connected in series. Such systems are often planned out in a computer-generated loading map, which takes into account a plurality of varying characteristics among the filter devices. As the process of manufacturing filtration devices can lead to variability in the devices' characteristics, such variability is typically an important factor when planning a filtration system that contains a plurality of filtration devices. An optimal configuration of devices particularly takes into account the devices' various output over time versus rejection profiles. Moreover, the performance characteristics of filtration devices may change over time, and specific devices may need to be removed or replaced.
The creation of a load map, monitoring, and replacing of filtration devices would benefit greatly if the filtration's information could be quickly and easily stored and later retrieved. However, attempts to provide filter devices with critical information which can be easily retrieved has been very difficult. During filtration, the filter devices are exposed to very high water pressures, which can easily strip away devices' paper-based tags, such as barcodes. Moreover, bar codes and other data storage mechanisms, which rely on optics to read, are not easily accessible and readable when they are placed in pressure vessels of filtration systems.